


Begin

by soul_of_blaze



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Epidemicstuck, Gen, aka as ZOMBIES, but not really, kind of taken from a roleplay, pre-events of Epidemicstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-30
Updated: 2013-05-30
Packaged: 2017-12-13 09:59:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/822990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soul_of_blaze/pseuds/soul_of_blaze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't exactly like looking in a mirror. Well, unless said mirror was the Mirror of Erised, but he sure as hell wasn't in Hogwarts or any form thereof.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Begin

**Author's Note:**

> this is from a roleplay (epidemicstuck) but its basically pre-events of any of the roleplays because i wanted to write cronus and dualscar meeting idk man. epidemicstuck is basically what it sounds like, epidemic of zombies. other important fact: trolls have been on earth for only a little while, all of them are from Alternia so there will definitely be some difference in Cronu's character.

_"... is suggested to stay inside, keep your doors locked and do not let anyone in regardless of their relations to you. Local disease control centers will be welcoming anyone who can make it to the centers. Be safe and carry..."_

Cronus glanced up as the radio turned back into static. Not because it was a shitty radio, in fact it was expensive and well-working. No, his eyes were on the petite girl who had tuned it out. Again. When she noticed him staring blatantly at her, she smiled widely and threw a hand up in a small wave.

"Vhy do you keep doin' that, doll? Like you don't care about it at all..."

"Cro, it's just that everyone is freaking out way too much! Besides, didn't you hear the broadcast? We stay inside," her words came off far too angry. He didn't really understand why she was always so bitter to him. _He_ hadn't done anything to her. But she had already twisted away to refill a customer's coffee with a happier hum. There was no way to bite back his words.

"Don't have anyone to go back to, huh?" That stopped her in her tracks. Her grip on the coffee pot tightened considerably. So much that had she not been human, she would have likely shattered it.

"Well, you don't either. So I guess we're both alone," those words bit into him. Bitter words that dug under his skin. It took him a few moments to gather his courage but he stomped over to the radio and cranked it back to the channel. The message was being played on repeat; he leveled her with a glare. Since he had been on Earth, he had come to the realization that he fit better with humans. But over time, he had also come to the realization that no human really liked him. And by then? He'd isolated himself from his own race. Luckily, he had befriended her. Though, even she had her moments of distrust with him. 

"You're an idiot," she sighed out her words but made no move to shut off the radio liked she had done earlier. "Honestly, I mean, we do have eac-"

 _"The city will be advised now to evacuate. I repeat. Please evacuate. The harbor is full of ships, highways have been cleared. Please leave immediately in order to reduce problems. The city will be..."_ Cronus directed his eyes away from the radio back to her.

"I'm leavin' then. You can come with me," however even as he said these words, he knew the truth. She wouldn't leave with him, and she merely turned around to go back to refilling coffee cups. After a minute of watching her, he understood and turned away to leave. Simply, he tugged his jacket back on and took a step outside.

Into mayhem.

Regardless of the broadcast, people were generally not leaving in a hurry. But that was explainable, considering the first thing he really caught glimpse of was one of the few undead stumbling after a human. With tougher skin, he wasn't as worried. Caution was still advised. 

The harbor was not far off, but even on his way there, the mayhem grew to disturbing levels. How many undead had crawled into the city? And how many were citizens mere moments ago? In truth, he didn't care, he just wanted to be out of the crowds swarming. It was worse, as many of the humans were going wild with guns. As he pushed past a group of girls screaming and crying, a strange sensation took hold of his shoulder. It felt like he'd been pushed back by an invisible force before a light sting brought his attention to the his shoulder.

A bullet. Lodged in his shoulder, with the purple blood already seeping down from the wound. A curse left his mouth.

The rain, started mere moments ago, gently batters against everyone who moves. It seems almost ironic that the rain should caress the world as it is now. Like whatever fucked up god is finally taking pity on all of them. Except he really doesn't give a ship about any of that. Maybe it's due to the fact that he's gone woozy. Or it could (and the more likely truth) that pushing through humans and lowbloods has given him little to no care for anyone's well-being, including his. 

Blood drips from between his fingers, further slipping down his jacket. It's going to be ruined, that being the only thing he finds himself concerned with. The commotion the closer to the docks is disastrous. Being jostles makes him near furious. A want to lash out grows stronger, but he is aware of the result it will spawn. Cool sea air lets him breathe easier, the feeling of 'home' practically embracing him. But there is no home, no true hope left for an escape now. Now he has to survive, as he has done most of his life. 

Cronus breathes through his nose as the crowd flows around him. It's easy to move along with it. The harbor that everyone is rushing into, unfortunately for them, has been a troll port. Humans have a rare chance of getting on any ships. Moreover, the captains of the ships were undoubtedly highbloods (if not at least a majority of them seadwellers close to his caste). He can definitely attach himself easily to a ship, but anyone lowers than maybe ( _maybe_ ) an indigo was unlikely to find safety on a ship. It made him prideful, because only those of similar status as he should be free on the sea.

A shriek fills up his ears, however, and it sets him on edge. Any abnormal or loud noise lately has done that. Rouse a fear that he can no longer swallow. The hand of another seadweller, a female likely just under him in their caste, grips him and tugs him. Her voice shrills in her ear, like the sirens of the human legends.

"Biter! There be a biter out there, get on a ship," she is pushing and shoving at him as she shrills her words. With a grunt, Cronus shoves her away. Commotion grows while he struggles to wrangle himself out of the crows. If any of them notice the blood dribbling from his shoulder, they'll assume the worst. But he's been shot, not bitten.

Fucking assholes that don't watch where they're shootin'.

The mass hysteria of the crows sens him stumbling towards the side of the docks. Whether or not it was a good thing, he is able to find himself staring into the frothing waters. Waters that gleam with a rich red color, and the occasional dazzling colors of the spectrum. He feels as if he's going to vomit, but then things happen too fast. A face, decayed and waterlogged, comes snapping at him. Hands from above pull him away. Leave him suspended from even the dock itself. That makes him thrash in surprise. 

The hands, or rather the owner of said hands, does not appreciate his struggles but it gets the job done. Cronus is back on his feet, relishing the feeling of a solid foothold. It takes him a few moments to orient himself enough to catch a good look of his 'savior'.

It wasn't exactly like looking in a mirror. Well, unless said mirror was the Mirror of Erised, but he sure as hell wasn't in Hogwarts or any form thereof. His breath sort of finds itself rushing out, lungs suddenly incapable of taking any more air. Frightening. Perhaps it is hard for him to comprehend and that's why he can barely breathe. The man looks like a somehow older version of him, even with the subtle differences. 

"Yer bleedin'," words said with a rouch gesture at his shoulder. The man makes Cronus shrink back and defensive.

"Vell, it ain't a bite from one a them, so don't thinkin' I..." There's a look from him that cuts Cronus off for a moment. He gathers himself, puffing out his chest. "Some fuckin' dumbass shootin' at the vind, vhat do you expect!"

A flick of the man's brow is enough of a reaction to barely relax his shoulders. It seemed as if he was being judged, though what for and what on, he didn't know. There were long moments, although the crowd settling down was far too suspicious. with a turn, Cronus saw many of the ships beginning to shove off. Anyone who wasn't on a ship or had been shoved into the sea, besides them, were part of the feast now. It churned his stomach to think much further than that. A curse left his mouth. To think he couldn't make it a day!

"Ya come with me," and had Cronus not spent of his time as a cadet both in the Alternian fleet but the humans as well, he'd have dismissed it as a statement. However, the words were definitely an order. Some natural sense kicked in, he was only meant to follow those commands.

By the time the ship was far enough away from everything, he had been staring down the man long enough. His breath came shallow. Never in his life did he expect to meet _him_. 

"You... you're the Orphaner Dualscar!" His words came out a bit too quick for him to stop them. Dualscar glanced over, a thin frown on his face. It was enough confirmation for Cronus, in any case.

"An' so who I have the... pleasure a hearin' that from?"

"Cronus," he said proudly, crossing his arms as he decided to add, with a mirthful tone, "big daddy."


End file.
